advice needed please?

**becky1** · 13-09-2008, 01:13 AM

I really want to go to medical school and become a doctor but i need advice on what will be best for me to do...

I didn't decide i wanted to go to med school untill 2 years ago so didnt work hard so my GCSE grades are appaling: English lit B, English language C, double science C,C , Maths C, Drama B, History B, Geography D.
I have done an applied science foundation certificate in university and got : Biology 68 %, Chemistry 60 %, Physical Science 63%, I.T 91 %, Quantitive Methods 81%, mathematics 66% statistics 75%.

I am doing AS and A2 in biology this year and hope to get an A.
I'm 22, i have a 2 year old and am pregnant so am taking some time out as cant afford to put them in child care so have to wait untill they are in school before going back to education.

i can take my AS and A levels at night couses in college but because of my GCSE result am worried that no matter how well i do i will not get in.

wanted advice from you all as you are likely to know what i am best to do.
would i be better off doing my A leves and then when i can go back to college full time and re-do all my GCSE's and applying like that.
or would i be better off leaving the A leves and GCSE's and doing my degree than applying with that (have the min GCSE's for cardiff if i do a degree)
i can only apply to cardiff as I cannot move or travel to any other schools.
what do you all recomend? what would stand me a better chance at getting in to med school?
all opinions and avice wanted please

thanks in advance for all your opinions/advice

**curlysin** · 13-09-2008, 04:27 PM

Hey there Becky1

You are in a unique position in that you are still very young so have plenty of time to do what it takes to gain entry into medicine. MMMM what would i do, if you are taking time out anyway with the children you could perhaps do a degree through the open university distance learning which means you can do it at home and fit it in around the children, my sister in law done this and they also paid for it for her as she was below the threshold! You could do one of the science ones, which nearly all universities except im afraid i know little about cardiff so have a look at what degrees they look for in a graduate. You would have to get a 2.1 minimum to be looked at, unless you wanted to apply to somewhere that needed the GAMSAT they will accept 2.2. GCSE's are'nt looked at if you are a graduate in most cases its just A levels but again check that out with the uni you wold be interested in. By the time you are my age (27) your children will be old enough and youll have all the academic criteria that you require to apply for medicine.

Dont give up, i wish you all the best with your pregnancy and studying

P.S make sure its an Honors degree!

**Riffraf** · 17-09-2008, 05:56 PM

Becky, I think it would be harsh to make you do GCSEs again if you manage to get As at AS/A2 over the next few years, but you'd probably be best asking Cardiff that direct. Also, I know you said you cannot move from Cardiff, but the Swansea GEP programme currently (I think) shares the same clinical placements as Cardiff and I think they would look favourably on you doing your clinical placements in Cardiff. They are also really friendly and seemed quite flexible to individual circumstances when I applied. So if you did decide to go the graduate route it might be worth not totally ruling it out if you could face the M4 for the first 2 years (or if in a few years you could move somewhere easily commutable for both Cardiff and Swansea).

**becky1** · 17-09-2008, 06:08 PM

thanks both

open uni is a great idea thanks for that. would make things much better because instead of waiting 3 years to even start i could do the open uni and be ready to apply to med school in 2011 ish.

Riffraf: when i posted this i didnt realise swansea offered medicine! how daft am i! since then i have looked into swansea and think that may be my best chance.
any idea if they accept applications from people who have degrees from the open university? would you have a phone number or email by any chance so i could ring/email them to find out for def?

becky

**Riffraf** · 17-09-2008, 06:22 PM

Becky, the Swansea GEM website is:

Graduate Entry Medicine

There's a phone number on there and loads of other info. I don't see why they wouldn't accept an OU degree.

Good luck!